Lantana plant named ‘PII-LC1’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lantana  plant named ‘PII-LC1’ is disclosed, characterized by a unique golden-orange flower color. Plants are hardy to USDA Zone 7. The new variety is a  Lantana , typically produced as an outdoor ornamental plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Lantana camara.

Variety denomination: ‘PII-LC1’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of open pollination discovered by theinventors, at a commercial nursery in Watkinsville, Ga. The precise dateof the open-pollination in unknown.

The seed parent is the variety Lantana ‘Chapel Hill Yellow’, U.S. PlantPat. No. 19,548. The pollen parent cannot be identified as this newselection resulted from an open-pollination.

The new variety was found and selected by the inventors May 8, 2020, atthe same nursery in Watkinsville, Ga.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘PII-LC1’ was first performedJul. 1, 2020 in Watkinsville, Ga., by vegetative cuttings. Throughsubsequent propagation, multiple additional generations have beenreproduced, having shown that the unique features of this cultivar arestable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘PII-LC1’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘PII-LC1.’ These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘PII-LC1’ as a new and distinct Lantanacultivar:

-   1. Unique golden-orange flower color.-   2. Hardiness to USDA Zone 7.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar Lantana ‘PII-LC1’ can be compared to the seedparent variety Lantana ‘Chapel Hill Yellow’. Plants of ‘PII-LC1’ aresimilar to plants of the seed parent in most horticulturalcharacteristics, however, plants of ‘PII-LC1’ differ in the following:

-   1. Flowers of the new variety are a unique golden-orange color,    while flowers of the seed parent are bright yellow.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar Lantana ‘PII-LC1’ can be compared to thecommercial variety Lantana ‘New Gold’, unpatented. Plants of ‘PII-LC1’are similar to plants of ‘New Gold’ in most horticulturalcharacteristics, however, plants of ‘PII-LC1’ differ in the following:

-   1. The new variety is hardy to USDA zone 7, whereas ‘New Gold’ is    hardy to USDA zone 10.

Plants of the new cultivar Lantana ‘PII-LC1’ can be compared to thecommercial variety Lantana ‘Luscious Goldengate’, patent status unknown.Plants of ‘PII-LC1’ are similar to plants of ‘Luscious Goldengate’ inmost horticultural characteristics, however, plants of ‘PII-LC1’ differin the following:

-   1. The new variety is hardy to USDA zone 7, whereas ‘Luscious    Goldengate’ is hardy to USDA zone 9.-   2. Plants of the new variety grow wider than plants of ‘Luscious    Goldengate’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates in full color an inflorescenceof ‘PII-LC1’. The photograph was taken using conventional techniques andalthough colors may appear different from actual colors due to lightreflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographictechniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 2007, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘PII-LC1’ plants grown outdoors inWatkinsville, Ga. The plants were about 1 year old. Temperatures rangedfrom 12° C. to 15° C. at night to 18° C. to 27° C. during the day. Noartificial light, photoperiodic treatments were given to the plants.Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical planttypes.

-   Botanical classification: Lantana camara ‘PII-LC1’.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to initiate roots: About 5 to 6 days.-   Root description: Fibrous and well branched. Colored near RHS    Grey-Brown 199A, 199B, 199C and N199A, N199C.

PLANT

-   Age of plant described: Approximately 12 weeks from a rooted    cutting.-   Pot size of plant described: 1-gallon.-   Growth habit: Semi-trailing to somewhat spreading.-   Height: 16 cm.-   Plant spread: 32 cm.-   Growth rate: Moderate.-   Branching characteristics: Well branched, basal and lateral    branching.-   Length of primary lateral branches: 10 to 15 cm.-   Diameter of lateral branches: 3 to 4 mm.-   Quantity of primary lateral branches: 4 to 6.-   Characteristics of primary lateral branches:    -   -   Form.—Round. Slightly ribbed longwise.        -   Color.—New Growth: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144B. Mature            growth: Slightly woody, RHS Grey-Brown 199A striated            Greyed-Green 198A.        -   Texture.—New growth hirsute, mature growth roughly striated.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong, somewhat brittle.-   Internode length: 2 to 3.5 cm.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Quantity.—Approximately 24-36 per branch.        -   Average length.—2.5 cm to 3.2 cm.        -   Average width.—2.0 to 2.5 cm.        -   Shape of blade.—Broadly ovate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Rounded.        -   Margin.—Denate.        -   Texture of top surface.—Hirsute.        -   Texture of bottom surface.—Hirsute. Less pubescent than the            upper surface.        -   Aspect.—Slight upward fold.        -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Near RHS Green 137A. Young            foliage under side: Near RHS Green 138A. Mature foliage            upper side: Near RHS Green 139A. Mature foliage under side:            Near RHS Green 138A.        -   Venation.—Midrib with secondary veins and very dense            tertiary veins across. Venation color upper side: Near RHS            Yellow-Green N144A. Venation color under side: Near RHS            Yellow-Green 145A.-   Petiole:    -   -   Length.—8 mm.        -   Diameter.—2 mm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green N144B.        -   Texture.—Sparsely and roughly pubescent.

FLOWER

-   Natural flowering season: Spring through Fall. Continuously    producing new inflorescences.-   Days to flowering from rooted cutting: About 8 weeks.-   Inflorescence and flower type and habit: Umbel.-   Individual flower shape: Trumpet shaped.-   Rate of flower opening: 4 to 6 days from bud to fully opened flower.-   Flower longevity on plant: 1 to 2 weeks (depending on outdoor    temperature, higher temperatures result in shorter flower    longevity).-   Persistent or self-cleaning: Self-cleaning.-   Overall inflorescence size:    -   -   Height.—Approximately 2 cm.        -   Diameter.—Approximately 3 cm.-   Individual flower size:    -   -   Length.—Approximately 1.5 cm.        -   Diameter.—Average about 7 mm.-   Bud:    -   -   Shape.—Tubular.        -   Length.—5 to 10 mm.        -   Diameter.—4 to 6 mm.        -   Color.—Tip near RHS Yellow-Orange 17A. Central section near            Yellow 13B. Base near Yellow-Green 150C.-   Corolla:    -   -   Petals/lobes.—Number: 4 lobes fused together forming a            radial shape. Length: Upper and lower lobes about 4 to 5 mm.            Right and left lobes about 3 to 4 mm. Width: Upper and lower            lobes about 4 to 5 mm. Right and left lobes about 3 to 4 mm.        -   Shape.—Single, rounded. Aspect: Straight from the base of            the inflorescence. Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth.-   Color:    -   -   When opening.—Upper surface: Near RHS Yellow-Orange 21A.            Lower surface: Near RHS Yellow-Orange 23B.        -   Fully opened.—Upper surface: Near RHS Yellow-Orange 23B.            Lower surface: Near RHS Yellow-Orange 17B.        -   Throat/tube.—Color: Interior: Near RHS Yellow-Orange 16C and            16D. Exterior: Near RHS Yellow-Orange 16A and 16B. Base near            Green-White 157A. Texture: Pubescent, covered with tiny            dense smooth hair resembling silk.-   Calyx/sepals:    -   -   Form.—2 oblong bracts fuse together, forming a tubular            shape.        -   Length.—About 4 to 5 mm.        -   Diameter.—About 2 to 3 mm.        -   Sepal shape.—Strap shaped.        -   Sepal margin.—Entire.        -   Sepal texture.—Sparsely hirsute.        -   Sepal color.—Near RHS Green 143C.-   Flower bracts/inflorescence bracts:    -   -   Arrangement.—Solitary, single occurring under each flower            within the inflorescence.        -   Length.—Approximately 3 mm.        -   Width.—Approximately 2 to 3 mm.        -   Shape.—Strap shaped.        -   Apex.—Sharply pointed.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Sparsely pubescent.        -   Color.—Near RHS Green 143C, all surfaces.-   Peduncles:    -   -   Length.—Approximately 1.5 to 3.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—Approximately 2 mm.        -   Angle.—About 45°.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Texture.—Very short hirsute.        -   Color.—Near RHS Green 143C.        -   Flower fragrance.—Earthy, musty.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:    -   -   Number (per flower).—4.        -   Filament length.—3 mm.        -   Anthers.—Shape: Linear. Length: 1 mm. Color: Near RHS            Grey-Brown N199B.-   Pollen: None.-   Pistils:    -   -   Quantity per flower.—1.        -   Length.—2 to 3 mm.        -   Color.—Near Yellow 13D.        -   Ovary color.—Near RHS 143C.        -   Stigma.—Shape: Globular. Color: Near RHS Yellow 2C.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Seeds and fruits: None.-   Disease/pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to    common diseases and pests of Lantana has been observed.-   Temperature tolerance: Hardy to USDA Zone 7. Observed to tolerate    temperatures to 39° C. without negative effects.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lantana plantnamed ‘PII-LC1’ as herein illustrated and described.